Now Commenting On:

Liriano unaccustomed to extra rest

Liriano unaccustomed to extra rest

Email

Print

Francisco Liriano

By
/
|

CHICAGO -- When Francisco Liriano takes the mound Sunday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field, the southpaw will be working on his normal four days between starts.

Liriano's next start as part of the White Sox six-man rotation figures to come with extra rest, as Philip Humber and Gavin Floyd stand ahead of him. But to be honest, Liriano isn't sure what sort of different approach he will have to employ to prepare during that extended down time.

"I've never done it before so we'll see," Liriano said. "I don't know yet. I'm going to talk to [White Sox pitching coach Don] Cooper and just prepare myself for six days or five days."

Cooper and Liriano already have discussed a few small changes that the White Sox wanted to immediately put in place for the southpaw's mound approach that could make a difference. Liriano said the focus was "staying tall" and really just going out there and doing his job.

"Make a good pitch and try to go deeper in the game," Liriano said. "Don't try to do too much and just be who I am."

That going deep into games part is essential for the White Sox with their current rotation. Their bullpen consists of closer Addison Reed, Brett Myers, Matt Thornton and Jesse Crain for late innings, Leyson Septimo as the left-handed specialist and Nate Jones as the de facto long man.

With an extra starter and one less reliever, manager Robin Ventura will challenge his rotation to work through early trouble and avoid the quick hook if at all possible. It has been evident in good times, with Jake Peavy pushing through an eighth inning Wednesday at Target Field, and in the case of the minor struggles Humber battled through into the sixth on Friday against the Angels.

"Every starter that goes out there, you're limited in what you can do if they don't make it through four," Ventura said. "It puts you in a tight spot to really go through a six-man. Everybody, every starter becomes important.

"They gotta go five and then hopefully six. Then you are able to get somewhere in that bullpen that you can finish out a game."